Roundup: Battles continue near Syria's Palmyra ruins amid UNESCO warnings

Battles between the Syrian forces and the Islamic State (IS) terror group continued Friday in the southern and eastern outskirts of the ancient oasis city of Palmyra in central Syria, as the UNESCO warned of imminent threat to the city's iconic ruins.

The battles at the eastern and southern rims of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of the central province of Homs continued Friday, just a couple of days after the IS militants attacked towns in the surrounding of that millennia-old oasis city, according to activists and the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV.

The Syrian army on Friday foiled a car bombing at the western entrance of the city, destroying the car, which was approaching a military checkpoint, and killing seven of the IS militants, most of whom were foreigners.

On Thursday evening, the state news agency SANA said the army unites were hunting down the terrorists of the IS group at the eastern and northern outskirts of Palmyra, adding that the air force also took part in the battles and killed tens of the IS fighters during intensive airstrikes.

Citing a military source, SANA said the army units were engaged in violent battles against the IS militants, who attempted to infiltrate towns near Palmyra on Wednesday and committed massacres against the civilians.

The oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS militants executed at least 26 people, 10 of whom were beheaded, in the villages of Amiriyeh and Sukhneh near Palmyra, the UK-based monitor group said, adding that some of the people were killed on charges of working for the government forces.

The UK-based watchdog group said 15 IS militants were killed during the battles with the Syrian army near Palmyra.

The IS push toward Palmyra threatens the archaeological sites in that city, as it contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.

From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences, according to the UNESCO.

Syria has many prehistoric, Greek, Byzantine and Islamic heritages. Before the crisis, Syria had attracted many multinational archaeological missions coming for searching new clues of historical facts on the development of civilizations.

The UNESCO has listed six Syrian sites on the World Heritage List, including the old cities of Damascus and Aleppo, al-Madhiq castle, the Krak des Chevaliers, the ancient city of Bosra and Palmyra and the ancient villages in northern Syria.

On Thursday, the UNESCO expressed deep concern over fighting near Palmyra that is endangering the nearby population and posing an imminent threat to the iconic ruins, calling out to all parties "to make every effort to prevent its destruction."

"The site has already suffered four years of conflict, it suffered from looting and represents an irreplaceable treasure for the Syrian people and for the world," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said.

"I appeal to all parties to protect Palmyra and make every effort to prevent its destruction," he said.

UNESCO said Palmyra is considered one of the most important cultural sites in the Middle East. Endit